Russell Brand cancels shows in Middle East

Comedian Russell Brand has cancelled a handful of dates on his upcoming world tour due to concerns about his safety in the Middle East.

The star was scheduled to perform in the United Arab Emirates and Lebanon this summer as part of his Messiah Complex world tour, but now Brand has pulled the plug on gigs in both countries after receiving threats from locals over the insensitive material in his stand-up routine, which features jokes about revered historical and religious figures Malcolm X, Gandhi and Jesus.

He tells the BBC, “Those gigs have been banned, pulled because of threats from extremists that if I went there, there would be problems. The venue(s) contacted us and said we can no longer guarantee your safety.”

Brand kicked off his stand-up tour in Chicago, Ill., earlier this month.